Intravenous and transducer line organizer

Abstract

An organizing device (10) is provided for use in hospitals, in order to maintain plural patient care lines (e.g., transducer lines (50) and intravenous infusion lines (52)) in a separate, individually identified, easy to use relationship. The device (10) includes an elongated, rigid base plate (12) having upstanding wall sections (14); the wall sections (14) include axially spaced apart, differently configured openings (34, 36) for receiving different patient care lines (50, 52). The base plate (12) also has a surface (28) for receiving line-identifying information thereon. A level indicator (16), viewable from both sides of the device (10), is provided in order to facilitate proper setup of transducer lines (50). The device (10) is preferably of unitary and integral synthetic resin construction, and is of a length to span the distance between upstanding hospital bed rails (58), thereby permitting releasable connection of the device (10) to a hospital bed.

We claim: 
     
       1. A device for organizing a plurality of patient care lines, consisting essentially of: an elongated, rigid body presenting a base plate and a plurality of upstanding substantially parallel, spaced apart wall sections extending substantially perpendicularly upwardly from said base plate with non-occluding, line-receiving openings therebetween, said non-occluding openings being axially spaced along the length of said body, said openings being spaced apart a distance greater than the width of said openings, said base plate and said wall sections forming a generally U-shaped channel which is open at the top,   said non-occluding, line-receiving openings being configured for releasably and frictionally retaining therein a plurality of differently configured patient care lines, with said lines extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of said body and being cooperatively supported by said base plate and the frictional engagement between the individual lines and the adjacent upstanding margins of said opening-defining wall sections,   said base plate including a planar forward segment extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of said body and defining an upper surface for supporting said lines and for receiving line-identifying information thereon, said forward segment upper surface being visible between said lines, said forward segment having a transverse width substantially greater than said wall sections and extending substantially the entire length of said base plate.   
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1, there being a pair of upstanding, closely adjacent, laterally spaced apart wall sections each extending upwardly from said base plate and having aligned openings therein, said aligned openings cooperatively defining said non-occluding, line-receiving openings. 
     
     
       3. The device of claim 1, at least certain of said openings being configured for receiving a transducer housing, others of said non-occluding openings being configured for receiving intravenous infusion lines. 
     
     
       4. The device of claim 1, said body being of a length to span the distance between side rails of a hospital bed or transportation gurney, there being means for releasably securing said body to said side rails. 
     
     
       5. The device of claim 4, said securing means comprising a pair of elastomeric bands. 
     
     
       6. The device of claim 1, including a level indicator supported on said body adjacent said upstanding wall sections. 
     
     
       7. The device of claim 1, including elongated, depending, side marginal feet extending downwardly from said base plate. 
     
     
       8. The device of claim 1, said body being unitary and integral.